The Wedding Date
by DalWriter
Summary: After her date cancels at the last minute, Jamie volunteers to be Edie's escort for an out of town family wedding. Staged PDA & a mix up with the reservation forces the couple to examine their true feelings.
1. Chapter 1

Jamie slid into the passenger seat of the RMP where his partner was waiting to start their day. He handed her the cup of coffee he had just bought from the vendor's cart on the corner, while she signed their ride for the day out of the motor pool. He was whistling softly.

"I guess the wedding date went well," Edie surmised from his demeanor.

Jamie tried to play it cool. He wasn't one to kiss and tell. He also hadn't quite navigated where to draw certain lines when it came to the blonde sitting next to him. They were friends, sure. They were work partners, certainly. He knew he could trust her with his life but still it felt odd to have a conversation with her about a date he had with another woman. Yeah, she had encouraged him to go for it with the pretty tourist but she had also encouraged him to date that lady doctor and that didn't exactly turn out well. She said she wasn't, but Jamie got the feeling Edie had been jealous. He knew his blood had been boiling when that training detective, Ray, took a shine to Edie earlier in the year. As much as he hated so see Edie hurt, deep down Jamie was secretly glad when the guy turned out to be a Casanova who used his position in the department to score with women on their way up. Taking a deliberate sip of his coffee to buy time, Jamie tried in vain to deflect Edie's question. "I didn't have a date. What are you talking about? That would be against department policy."

Rolling her eyes, Edie wasn't going to be dissuaded. "You know as well as I do that you went to her sister's wedding with Maria."

"I was there to guard the ring. It was the only way they would let it out of evidence for the ceremony," Jamie insisted.

"And whose bright idea was that?" Edie retorted. Even though she had encouraged him to go out with the pretty tourist, Edie was envious any time another woman got to have what she was denied: Jamie's full attention.

There really wasn't anything for Jamie to say. He knew better than anyone that he had manipulated the system and found a loophole so he could accompany Maria to her sister's wedding. It wasn't going to deny that she was an attractive woman.

"Since you are being so closed mouthed on the subject, based on the whistling, I'm gonna go with you got some this weekend," Edie concluded as she merged into traffic to start their tour. She knew Jamie wasn't the type to kiss and tell but curiosity was getting the better of her. God, she'd love to know what her handsome partner was like all the way out of uniform. She knew he filled out a pair of jeans quite nicely. She also loved the glimpses she'd gotten of his bare, sculpted chest when she would barge into the men's locker room in the precinct after tour to ambush him, hoping to literally catch him with his pants down.

Unfortunately for Edie, Jamie had made it abundantly clear after their one and only kiss that it was an aberration. He was curious and they had gotten out of their system, well at least he had. Edie had covered her disappointment by saying she had a habit of picking the wrong men. She hoped that made Jamie believe that she thought he was the wrong guy when in reality, part of her thought he could be The One, if they could just get around the damn regulations. She wasn't going to be the one to ask for a new partner. If she did, she may never get to see Jamie, because once their partnership ended she wasn't sure he'd want to spend time with her outside of work. At least this way she was guaranteed five days per week with him. She figured that if he had any interest in her he would have been the one to suggest a change. Instead he kept on being a great partner who had her back but nothing more. She'd take the bread crumbs, but man, did she ever resent women like Maria. For Maria, Jamie had been willing to find a way to bend the rules so he could take her out. Edie knew the other woman was an exotic beauty and she saw how Jamie responded to Maria's charms but it still stung. In the meanwhile she'd continue to try to find somebody suitable to take her mind off one Jamison Reagan and what she couldn't have. Until then, it looked like tonight would be another cold shower and an evening spent with B.O.B.; she better remember to pick up fresh batteries on her way home.

Never one to let something go when she really wanted an answer, Edie tried a different tactic. "Are you seeing her again tonight?"

"Why all the questions?"

"Just want to see you happy," Edie supplied, skirting around the edges of the truth. "So spill. I didn't go to a lavish wedding with an heirloom ring this weekend."

"It wasn't that lavish," Jamie supplied. "It was loud with lots of dancing and lively music."

Edie silently urged him to continue.

"You would have loved the food."

Edie was secretly pleased that Jamie had given her at least a passing thought while out with another woman.

"So, forget about the food. Tell me about the date," Edie directed.

"Forget about the food?" Jamie repeated. "Who are you and what did you do with my partner?"

"Very funny. Now stop evading the question."

"The wedding was fine and Maria boards a plan back to Oaxaca in a few hours," Jamie revealed.

"Are you gonna do the long-distance thing?" Edie pressed.

Shaking his head, Jamie replied, "Nah. Too much trouble."

Edie shrugged. "But she is a very beautiful woman."

"She is," Jamie agreed. "But there are plenty of beautiful women in New York. I don't need to import more." He looked pointedly at his partner but did not elaborate.

"This whole conversation is a little light on details, Reagan," Edie protested Jamie's evasiveness.

"I really don't understand why you are so interested in my love life," Jamie responded.

Edie thought she had him. "There. You admit it. It was more than guard duty or protective detail. You like her."

"Not that it matters. She flies home today and I already told you that we're not doing the long-distance thing," Jamie insisted.

"You never struck me as the nail and bail type," Edie observed.

"'Nail and bail'?" Jamie repeated. He couldn't believe she just said that. "We are not talking about this."

Edie continued to bait him. She seemingly couldn't help herself. "Jeeze. Uptight much?"

"What is with you today? First you practically throw me at the woman. Then you get all mad when I do what you told me to do. It's like you're jealous or something," Jamie accused.

Snorting in derision Edie denied Jamie's allegation. "I am not jealous. Don't flatter yourself."

Jamie eyed her skeptically. "This is exactly what you did with that ER doctor. Why do you insist I go out with these woman if all you are going to do is give me grief afterwards?"

"Grief? I am not giving you grief. When I heard you whistling I merely asked if you got lucky over the weekend. I was just makin' conversation," Edie declared. "Forget I said anything."

"Make conversation about something else other than my alleged sex life," Jamie directed.

Before Edie could say anything else a call came over the radio. "12 David. 10-53; corner of 45th and 8th. 10-54; EMT's en route."

"Another day another car accident," Edie joked as Jamie keyed the mike at his shoulder. "Rodger, that Central. 12-David. Show us responding."

Edie hit the lights and siren, to clear traffic ahead of them as they rushed to the scene.

 _~~ BB ~~ BB ~~ BB ~~_

About a month after Jamie had attended the wedding with Marie, the exotic tourist who had her family heirloom ring stolen by her friend, the partners were almost bored on their day tour. Sometimes it was nice to have a quiet day on patrol. The exciting days punctuated by gun fire and bombs had a tendency to shorten lifespans through stress alone, not to mention the all too real bullets.

It had been a few months since "the incident" as Jamie thought of the night he'd kissed his partner. Edie was a beautiful woman, especially in civilian clothes. She was smart and tough. If only she wasn't his partner. Mixing business and pleasure on The Job was a recipe for disaster and he knew he couldn't risk both of their lives because he was distracted by love. So far, the plan to ignore the whole thing had been working, although he couldn't help but notice that they both seemed to avoid any situation where they had the potential to end up alone. Beers after work were now group affairs with other members of the squad. Neither stayed for more than two drinks, when before they used to linger.

Although Edie had cried in his arms after she shot that guy in the line of duty, they both knew they walked a very fine line that night. When she'd asked him to stay Jamie knew she just couldn't handle her empty apartment but he wished she had been asking for more. He also knew he couldn't give her any more than a shoulder to cry on or there would be no going back. If their partnership was to survive, he had to keep his distance.

For her part, Edie wasn't about to bring the subject up again. She'd meant it when she said their kiss was inevitable. She had developed a small crush on her very attractive partner after he encouraged her to make peace with her father's crimes and then driven out to the prison with her. His reaction the morning after their kiss felt like rejection. The sexual tension between them had been brewing since they met. She didn't want him to get her out of his system. Jamie was sexy, sensitive and smart. Edie knew from experience that there aren't many men like that in the world. She thought it was kind of cool that after graduating from Harvard Law he joined the NYPD rather than some Wall Street law firm so he could understand how the law worked in reality, not just in some ivory tower. Yet she also knew he was too honorable to risk their professional relationship. It didn't matter that his motives were pure; she didn't want to deal with his rejection again, so as difficult as it was, she avoided him and forced herself to not be alone with him outside of their shifts. If he hadn't been such an awesome partner, she would have asked for a transfer. Some days it was excruciatingly painful to only be able to look but not touch.

A small, insecure part of her always wondered if maybe Jamie didn't return her interest or desire. These thoughts usually flashed through Edie's mind when she was at a low point, wondering how the daughter of a criminal could ever think a Harvard educated lawyer who was the son of the City's Top Cop could ever be interested in the likes of her. As far as she could tell, Jamie's taste ran toward smart women who were lawyers and doctors. She tried to push those negative thoughts aside and focus on the smiles, the touches and the fact that she spent more time every day with Jamie Reagan than anybody else on the planet. She tried to convince herself that it was enough.

On this particular day in early summer, Edie's non-relationship with Jamie was the least of her problems. Her cousin's wedding was this weekend. She was going to be surrounded by nosy but well-meaning aunts who would all want to know when she was giving up this foolishness of being a cop and find a nice boy to settle down with. She'd roped an old friend from the Academy into going to the event with her as her pretend longtime boyfriend just to throw the aunts off and hopefully spare herself the lectures about why she was wasting her life, or worse, the pitying inquiries about whether she was a lesbian.

They were cruising through Central Park when Edie's phone rang. "Hey Buzz," she answered happily. She had been fairly pleased with herself when she came up with the fake boyfriend idea and convinced her old buddy to take part.

Edie's face and voice fell simultaneously. "I'm sorry to hear that. I hope you're OK. No, I'll figure something out." Jamming the cell phone back in the cup holder, she muttered, "Damn" under her breath.

Jamie looked at his partner quizzically. "Was that your friend Buzz from the Academy?" Jamie had met a few of Edie's friends from back in the day. As big as the NYPD was, people tended to stay in contact with friends from school. It was a shared bond to have survived that training. Jamie was still in touch with a few of his former classmates from the Academy as well as Harvard Law. "What's he up to?" Jamie was worried when he heard Janko sound distressed.

"Nothing. Ugh. He . . .he got the chicken pox if you can believe it. Went to break up a domestic and their kids were sick. Now he is," Edie revealed.

"Chicken pox?" Jamie reiterated. "That sucks. I remember when Jack and Sean got it. Danny and Linda were more miserable then the kids."

"Apparently it's worse for adults," Edie offered.

"So your friend called you just to tell you he was sick?" Jamie inquired.

"Yes. No," Edie let out a deep breath. "We . . . ah. . . well we kinda had plans this weekend, but now he can't make it."

Jamie suggested, "So do it next weekend."

"Can't," Edie replied looking out the window and mentally going through the names of her male friends trying to come up with a backup plan. She began muttering to herself and mentally ticking names off her fingers. "No. Has a girlfriend. Too young. Married. Too eager. Too. . ugh."

"Janko, what are you mumbling about?" Jamie wanted to know.

"Don't worry about it," Edie dismissed his inquiry. The cold look she gave him encouraged Jamie to say no more. He knew better then to press his partner when she wanted to be left alone.

For the next half hour the pair rode around in silence. The only noise was radio chatter directed at other units.

"Hey, I'm hungry," Jamie's voice pierced through Edie's introspective fog.

"Isn't that my line?" Edie joked half-heartedly.

"Exactly," Jamie confirmed. Glancing at his watch he continued, "It's about 20 minutes past our scheduled meal period but you haven't said a word."

"Sorry," Edie shrugged absently, still staring out the window of the RMP practically ignoring her partner.

"OK, I'll clock us out and we can head over to Salad World; they're having a special on sticks and twigs," Jamie offered.

"Sure, sounds good," Edie mumbled a half-hearted response, which proved she wasn't listening.

"Alright, what gives? Now I know you are ignoring me," Jamie accused.

"I'm not ignoring you," Edie protested.

"You just agreed to eat sticks and twigs at Salad World for lunch," Jamie chided her.

Scowling Edie snapped, "I said I wasn't hungry so it was easier to let you pick whatever rabbit food you wanted."

"Again, something is very wrong if you are not thinking about your stomach and it must be really bad if you claim not to be hungry."

Edie was in no mood. "Just give it a rest. Eat where ever you want and stop trying to psychoanalyze me."

Jamie was hurt. "I'm not trying to psychoanalyze you. I just commented that it's unusual for you not to be hungry. Usually when you get like this, there is a problem."

"You think you know me so well," Edie accused. "But you don't. You're my work partner. Not my shrink. Not my mother. Not my boyfriend. My work partner. So don't think you know everything there is to know about me."

The more she protested, the more Jamie knew something was unquestionably wrong but he also knew that pressing her now was not the way to get her to talk. "There's no need to get so defensive."

Edie ignored Jamie through most of their meal period and scrolled through her phone, sighing repeatedly. Occasionally she'd stop, seem to think, then shake her head in defeat. She merely picked at her Cesar salad with grilled chicken.

As their tour came to end, Jamie suggested, "How about Murphy's for beers? I'm buying."

Edie was still distracted as she had been all afternoon. "Murphy's, nah. I was actually thinking about heading to the Bull and the Bear."

"A Wall Street bar? They don't give anything away in there. It's wing night at Murphy's. What gives?"

Edie glared at her partner. "I just want a change of pace."

Jamie wasn't taking no for an answer. He was more convinced than ever that he'd have to get a few drinks into Edie to get to the bottom of what was bothering her. If they had to be expensive drinks, so be it. "Mind if I join you?"

"Kind of," Edie answered but felt guilty when she saw Jamie's crestfallen face. Blowing out a breath, she reconsidered. Picking up some random guy wasn't going to solve her problem. Buzz had been a perfect solution because he knew her so well and they could use their friendship to fake a romantic relationship but a stranger probably wouldn't work so she was better off getting wings with Reagan and saving her money. "You know what? Let's just go to Murphy's."

Inside Murphy's Edie snagged a hi-top way in the back. She usually preferred to stand at the bar to be in the middle of all the action. This table gave her a great vantage point from which to scan the room, but it kept her out of the fray. She didn't have it in her to make small talk tonight. She knew enough people here; she hoped she'd be able to find somebody to help her solve dilemma.

Jamie returned from the bar and placed two drafts on the table. "So you wanna tell me why we're sitting back here and you don't have a big plate of wings in front of you yet?"

"Not hungry," Edie muttered.

Jamie took a deep breath then settled himself on the bar stool across from his partner. "Now I really know something is wrong. You not being hungry twice in one day. Do I need to call a bus? Talk to me. You have been out of sorts all day; in fact you have kind of been on edge for about a month."

"It's nothing," Edie declared. "It's also not your problem."

Jamie wasn't buying that for a New York minute. "I'm your partner. I got your back. Whatever it is you can tell me."

"Just drop it, Reagan," Edie snarled with a slight edge to her voice. It was sharper then she intended but she really didn't want to talk about it.

"It's been going on for a month." Aloud Jamie began to puzzle this through this mystery that was his partner's bad mood. "It got worse today when Buzz called you." His eyes lit up in fear as he stared at Edie. Conspiratorially, he leaned over the table and whispered, "Are you pregnant?"

Holding up her hand in the classic 'stop' / 'talk to the hand' position Edie rolled her eyes and declared indignantly, "No, I'm not pregnant!" She made a face at him, wondering how he could think that was what was wrong.

Jamie held her gaze. Tempers were getting hotter but neither partner was going to back down. Jamie was sure one way or the other that he could get it out of her.

Unfortunately for her, Kara Walsh didn't notice the visual stand-off occurring between the partners when she decided to interrupt. "I head Buzz got the chicken pox. So what are you going to do about your cousin's wedding?"

Deflated because her friend inadvertently spilled the beans, Edie replied, "I don't know. Tell my family he couldn't come because he was sick, I guess. It is the truth."

"Do you wanna borrow my husband?" Kara offered. "He knows enough about you. Maybe he could pull it off. But I'm working tomorrow night so he could only come down for the wedding itself."

Edie smiled wanly at her friend. "Thanks but it's not like this is the first wedding I will attend alone."

"I know but you said your Aunt was really riding you about still being single," Walsh reminded her friend about previous conversations, not realizing that they were confidential or at least things that Edie didn't want Jamie to know.

"You're up Walsh!" somebody called from over by the pool table summoning Kara away.

Jamie leaned back in his chair. He had solved the mystery of what had his partner so upset but he still didn't know why she was upset. What was the big deal about going stag to a wedding, anyway? He did it all the time.

Edie waved her finger in Jamie's face. "Don't even. No seriously. Don't look at me like that. You know nothing."

"C'mon, Janko," Jamie opened. "So you're cousin is getting married. What is the big deal?"

"You wouldn't understand," she dismissed his concerns.

"Try me," Jamie implored.

"It's stupid," Edie tried to deflect.

"Apparently not," Jamie countered. "You talked to Walsh and your academy buddy, Buzz." Anybody who cared to listen could have heard the disdain in Jamie's voice when he said the other man's name. "I mean what kind of name is that anyway? Is he a bee or something? Buzz." Jamie knew he sounded petulant but he didn't care.

"His name is Bruce. Buzz is just a nickname. He got me through the whole search and seizure thing at the Academy. We all didn't go to Harvard Law School before deciding to become a cop."

"You need a wedding date, is that it?" Jamie postulated.

Looking away, Edie conceded, "Yeah."

"I'm a great wedding date! I clean up nice. Moms and Aunts love me. I have excellent table manners and I look good in the pictures." Jamie bragged.

Edie didn't say anything. She really didn't want to be having this discussion.

"So what time is the wedding tomorrow? Do you need me to pick you up at your apartment," Jamie acted like everything was settled.

Edie resigned herself to the inevitable. "I'm not gonna talk you outta this am I?"

"I'm your partner. I already told you I got your back. We've stared death in the face together more than one and survived. I think we can manage a wedding," Jamie predicted.

"You haven't met my family," Edie replied.

"Not true," Jamie countered. "I met your Dad, but I'm assuming he won't be there."

"No he won't. But this is his sister's daughter's wedding, in New Jersey."

"I can go to Jersey. Hey can we take your car?" Jamie brightened at the prospect of driving Edie's Porsche.

"What makes you think I'm gonna let you get your mitts on my baby?" Edie asked.

"I always drive!" Jamie declared.

"In the RMP at work. This is my car we're talking about," Edie reminded him.

Putting on his best puppy dog face, Jamie begged, "Please?"

"There's a little more to it than just going out to Jersey for the night," Edie broached the subject. In her mind she was wondering if he'd really do everything involved just for the chance to drive her car.

"It's a wedding. How complicated can it be? Show up. Clap politely when the priest declares them husband and wife. Eat. Have some champagne. Fork over a gift. Dance a little. Come home," Jamie laid out all the steps as he understood what was required of a good guest.

"First of all," Edie started seriously. "And no laughing." She pointed at him, silently saying ' _this means you'_.

To honor the solemnity of the moment, Jamie crossed his fingers over his heart and held up 3 fingers in the Boy Scout promise.

Chuckling, Edie mumbled, "Eagle Scout" to which Jamie replied, "Rich girl."

"What?" Jamie prompted her to continue as he put his hand down. "I promise I will try not to laugh."

"I'm a bridesmaid," Edie shared.

Jamie offered her a crooked half smile. "Really? I get to see you stand up there in one of those poofy matching taffeta get ups?"

"Be serious, Reagan!" She commanded.

"No," Jamie replied holding up his hands as if to frame Edie in a photo. "You in a dress. I will have to make sure my phone is charged so I can take pictures." Edie glared at him but that didn't stop his teasing. "Do you even have legs?" He bent down to look under the table. Rising to resume sitting upright Jamie smugly declared, "This is getting better and better."

"And exactly why I didn't ask you in the first place," Edie stated.

"I'll stop," Jamie promised. "What else do I have to know?"

"Because I'm in the wedding, I am going out there tomorrow for the Rehearsal and the Rehearsal dinner. The wedding is Saturday. You can just come Saturday and then go home," Edie offered.

"Was Buzz coming for the whole weekend or just the wedding?" Jamie asked.

"The whole thing," Edie admitted.

Jamie filed that little tidbit away. The prospect of Edie having a romantic weekend with another man didn't sit well with him. He was actually glad Buzz got the chicken pox.

"I got nothing else going on. We get off at 3:00 o'clock tomorrow and don't report back 'til start of swing on Monday. I'm all yours," Jamie promised. "Rehearsal dinner, wedding and I'm assuming after wedding brunch on Sunday. Anything else I need to know?"

Edie was uncertain. The prospect of spending an entire weekend with Jamie was . . . well let's just say she had mixed emotions about the whole thing. She had gotten pretty good at hiding her feelings on patrol but for 72 hours, she wasn't sure she was that good of an actress. Then she got an idea about how to shorten the whole thing. "What about the famous Reagan Sunday dinners? Won't you get struck by a bolt of lightning or something if you don't show up?"

"I've missed 'em before. It'll be alright," Jamie assured her. "Hey, do I need a tux or will a dark suit be OK?"

The idea of Jamie in a tuxedo made Edie's stomach do a little flip flop. "Do you even own a tux?"

"Of course I do," Jamie replied. "It's even clean." Edie didn't need to know that he didn't have much cause to wear his tuxedo but no self-respecting bachelor in New York City could afford to be without one in his closet. Sadly, these days, his got the most work out when his sister needed a last minute stand in for some charity or office gig she was required to attend.

"OK then. Tux for Saturday. Blazer and slacks for Friday and casual for Sunday, but no jeans," Edie informed her partner of the dress code.

"No problem," Jamie noted her instructions.

Edie thought for a moment, trying to figure out the logistics. "How about I pick you up in the morning before tour. You can leave your bags in my car, then we can head straight out. I wanna try to beat the traffic."

"Picking me up is out of your way. I'm all the way in Brooklyn. Bridge traffic is murder in the morning. I'll just take the subway and meet you at the House. I can stow my gear in your car then," Jamie countered.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow, then," Edie confirmed before she got up to leave.

Jamie was initially so proud of himself for figuring out why Edie was upset and then solving her problem, he didn't initially realize that she never finished her beer. Looking at the half full glass it also dawned on him that she never helped herself to any wings. It seemed there was more to this wedding then he understood.


	2. Chapter 2

Bright and early the next morning, Jamie was waiting outside the precinct with his garment bag and a duffle. When she parked her fancy silver sports car, Jamie opened the passenger door to stuff his overnight back in the small space behind the leather bucket seats and hung up the garment bag with his blazer and tuxedo. There wasn't much room because a larger dress bag containing what he assumed was Edie's bridesmaid dress was taking up most of the room. "Let's hope it's a quiet day and we get out on time."

Edie agreed. "That means no arresting some jaywalker right before end of shift so we're stuck with hours of overtime getting the mutt processed."

Grinning Jamie reminded her "Crime operates on its own schedule."

After finishing Roll Call, Renzulli ordered, "Reagan, my office now."

Edie glared at her partner to wordlessly ask, "Wha'd you do now?"

Shrugging Jamie followed his Sargent "I don't know."

As Jamie stepped into Renzulli's office the senior officer sized up his former rookie. "You wanna explain to me what I saw outside this morning."

"Sarge?" Jamie questioned. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"You putting luggage in Janko's car. You two going away for a romantic weekend or something? I told you that I'd split you up and transfer one of yous out if there was anything goin' on. You know the rules – no fraternization between partners," Renzulli reminded him.

"Whoa!" Jamie was taken aback. "You got it all wrong. I was putting a bag in her car because . . . well we're not . . . . There's nothing going on. Her date for some wedding got the chicken pox and . . . well she didn't want to go by herself so I said I'd go with her," Jamie explained, rambling a bit. "I swear, Sarge. Just helpin' out my partner. That's all!"

Scowling Renzulli assessed the flustered young man standing before him. Not much rocked Jamie anymore. Over the years he'd grown into a fine cop, one of the most decorated officers in the 12th. He had a good head on his shoulders and great instincts. Still Renzulli enjoyed yanking his chain just a bit. Deep down he really wished one of his two officers would get their head out of their ass and see what a great team they made. He was genuinely routing for them to get together, but until one of them requested a transfer he wasn't going to force the issue. "If you say so. I better not find out otherwise. Now get outta here. City ain't gonna patrol itself."

The back door to Renzulli's office had been open while he was talking to Jamie. Once Jamie stepped out and closed the door behind him, a lieutenant in a white shirt popped his head in. "Little rough on him weren't you, Tone?

Renzulli smiled. "Just waiting for him and Janko to figure it out, Lou."

"So you think they'll finally succumb this weekend?" the Lieutenant speculated.

"Maybe, . . . romantic wedding outta the city. You never know," Renzulli offered. Mentally he was trying to readjust Monday's roster if that became necessary.

During a personnel review some time ago, the brass at the 12th had decided that if Jamie and Edie ever did get together the commanders would do their best to keep the pair in the same house. They couldn't let them ride together for safety reasons but they all realized that if he wasn't the Commissioner's son, Officer Jamison H. Reagan would have been Detective Reagan, probably at least Second Grade, by now. In consolation they thought they would at least keep him and Janko at the same house if they chose to pursue a relationship. Nobody mentioned this decision to the officers because the brass all knew it wasn't something Jamie would be happy to hear had been discussed at all. There was also the chance they were all wrong and the pair wasn't secretly pining for each other.

"I know," offered the Lieutenant. "When I overhead Janko talking to Walsh about this wedding months back, I took this weekend in the pool."

Renzulli was surprised by the Lieutenant's cunning and disappointed he hadn't thought to check the pool dates.

One of the worst kept secrets at the house was the office pool where quite a few members of the 12th and a few outsiders including Danny Reagan and his partner, were betting on when the pair would finally give in to their baser urges. To his credit, three years ago Danny picked Monday, February 6, 2018, the first day the promotion list would be out after the 2017 Mayoral election that would probably see someone take office who would not re-appoint Frank Reagan as Commissioner of the NYPD. Danny felt that his brother was too honorable to make a move before then.

"Guess we'll find out Monday," Renzulli chuckled.

 _~~ BB ~~ BB ~~ BB ~~_

Twelve David had a relatively uneventful shift. They had been assigned foot patrol for the day which was more about community care taking: talking to shop keepers, strolling through the park to deter would be muggers and purse snatchers, letting the neighborhood see the visible presence of the NYPD at work. They wrote some parking tickets, gave a warning to a tourist for jaywalking, and busted two low level drug dealers who had been brazen enough to conduct business out in the open but all in all it had been a quiet day.

As they were punching out for the end of shift, Jamie called, "Lemme just grab a quick shower and I'll be ready to roll."

"Ya know, I'm worried about traffic. The showers in the hotel will probably be way better then rusty pipes in the locker room," Janko countered.

"You sure you wanna put up with me in a car after walking around all day?"

Edie moved a little closer and sniffed her partner. "You don't smell that ripe."

Jamie didn't know what to make of Edie's statement. It wasn't like he broke a sweat. The temperatures had only been in the low 70s and there was a breeze but he got hot under his bulletproof vest.

"Seriously, Reagan. Move your ass. The sooner we get outta here, the sooner you can take your shower. I don't wanna be late because there was traffic on the Parkway," Edie dictated. "We'll put the top down. You'll be fine, Princess."

Jamie knew better then to argue when Janko got like this. "Alright. Alright. You win. Stinky it is. Lemme grab my stuff and I'll meet you by the car."

Satisfied that he would hurry, Edie ducked into the women's locker room to collect her own belongings.

Jamie was already on the sidewalk when Edie exited the precinct. "For somebody in a hurry you sure are moving slow," he teased about the fact that he had beaten her outside.

"Very funny," she shot back as she fished her car keys out of her purse.

While the key fob beeped to signal the unlocking of the doors, Jamie postulated, "You know if I drive we'll definitely get there on time."

"Are you suggesting that I am a bad driver?" Edie demanded, even though she knows Jamie was just itching to drive her car. He'd been lusting after her sporty baby since her first days on the job.

"Of course not. I would never suggest such a thing. I am just saying I'm a better driver," Jamie replied.

"Because you're a man and I'm a woman?" Edie countered.

"No, I just know people in case we get pulled over," Jamie teased.

"Yeah, well," Edie countered, "I know the Police Commissioner for the City of New York."

Jamie chuckled. "That's gotta be a good hook."

Edie feigned seriousness. "You'd think. Mostly all it does is get me stuck with his son."

Clutching his hand over his heart, Jamie complained, "Ouch. That hurt. Now you really gotta let me drive."

Edie had always intended to let him have his way. They'd been partners for almost four years. She trusted Jamie with her life; maybe it was time to trust him with her car. Plus, she knew she was too keyed up about the wedding to keep her mind on the road. It would be safer to sit in the passenger seat and try to figure out how she was going to explain everything to her "date." Tossing the keys to Jamie over the roof of the car she cautioned, "One scratch and you're a dead man."

Jamie caught the keys and beamed at the prospect of driving the silver Porsche. He'd salivated at the idea of getting behind the wheel since he'd first seen the car when Edie was his rookie. "Threatening the life of a police officer is a crime you know."

"Justifiable homicide," the officer parked behind Eddie weighed in. "It's a vintage Porsche. No jury in the world would convict her."

Jamie chortled good naturedly but climbed in the driver's seat, happy that he was finally getting to drive the car. Once inside Edie plugged in her phone and clicked a few keys. Siri's voice filled the car. "You're all set. Let's take the Lincoln Tunnel. You are on the fastest route and your route is clear. You should reach your destination by 5:19 p.m." She turned to lay the clothes down in the small space behind the bucket seats and gave Jamie some instructions about how to put the top down, then they were on their way.

Pulling away from the curb Jamie asked, "Where are we going?"

"The Red Bank Chateau," Edie supplied.

Jamie was impressed. "That's a pretty fancy place, isn't it? I remember passing it on my way to Belmar in college."

"Belmar? I would have figured you for Spring Lake, the Irish Riviera," Edie mused.

"Too stogy. Dad was only a Deputy Chief back then and I was working my way through school trying not to rack up too much student debt," Jamie explained. "Did you ever go to Belmar?"

"A few times. It was where all the hot guys were. Well there and Seaside," Edie confessed.

Shaking his head, Jamie was appalled. "Don't even tell me you went for the Jersey Shore Guidos."

Edie didn't say anything. The look on her face said she knew she was busted. She liked hot Italian guys with good bodies. That wasn't exactly a crime.

"Oh God. You probably even had a crush on The Situation," Jamie lamented. "Yo Vinny."

"Nobody liked that meat-head," Edie assured him.

Once they got through the Lincoln Tunnel traffic lightened up considerably. By the time they got to the Parkway Jamie was ready to see what the Porsche was made of. Stepping on the gas, he praised the Italian craftsmanship, "Man I thought my Goat was fun to drive but this. It's like riding on rails. I'm gonna feel bored going back to my 'Stang."

Edie understood his admiration. She loved this car and would never be able to replace it. She could barely afford the maintenance on the high end machine as it was. "Don't get any ideas, Reagan. You driving my car is not becoming a regular thing."

Crestfallen at that pronouncement, Jamie became even more determined to make the most of this opportunity.

As they crossed the Driscoll Bridge Edie knew she was running out of time to explain to Jamie what he had gotten into. Beginning hesitantly, she opened, "Ah. . . there's . . . well there's a few things I didn't exactly tell you about this wedding."

"OK . . ." Jamie replied cautiously.

"Um, well . . . ah. . . Buzz wasn't just coming as my . . um as my date," Edie started.

"I'm not following," Jamie offered. "Are you guys . . like . . . together?" Jamie held his breath waiting for that answer silently praying it wasn't true. As much as he wanted only the best for her, against all odds he secretly hoped she'd wait for something to change so they could be together.

"He . . . you know my family . . . they . . . um . . . well they were never all that crazy about my choice of careers. They think me being a cop is some sort of phase, some reaction to my dad."

"Is it?" Jamie had never considered that Edie wanted another career. Hearing her say this now, he remembered that when he first met her and they started riding together she had said she became a cop because she thought there would always been a clear demarcation between right and wrong.

"No!" Edie insisted. "Well maybe it started out that way, . . . but once I got to the Academy and since I've been out on the street with you - I love being a cop!"

"You don't have to convince me," Jamie assured her. "But what does this have to do with the wedding?"

"Well . . . my family . . . they want me to give up this 'craziness' and settle down. They are always bugging me about finding a a husband and having kids," Edie explained, using air quotes around the word 'caraziness'. "So when this wedding came up, they were giving me grief at the engagement party so I kinda made up a fake boyfriend."

"Buzz?" Jamie asked, then became slightly horrified. "People aren't gonna be calling me Buzz all weekend are they?"

Edie chuckled at the thought. "No I never said what my boyfriend's name was. I just kind of implied that we were really serious but keeping things kind of quiet and private because I didn't want some reporter turning my engagement into a reason to dredge up all the stuff about my Dad. I can see the headlines now: Crook's daughter a Cop."

Jamie cringed. It was the other side of the coin but he understood what is was like to live in your dad's shadow when there was nothing you could do about it.

"So anyway," Edie continued. "When we get there, . . . ah. . my family . . kinda thinks that . . . ah . . . well, that we've been . . .ah . . seeing each other for a while and that we're seriously in love."

"So this is . . . kind of like a UC assignment and I have to pretend to be Buzz?" Jamie was crestfallen. His mind was racing in a million directions trying to figure out what it was going to be like to pretend to be in love with Edie without letting her know that he was actually in love with her.

"No I never told them his name," Edie agreed. This was a bit easier than she had anticipated. They had both done undercover work before. They could totally pull this off.

"I can work with that," Jamie promised. "The consequences of failure are a little less dire." He hoped that was true. If she found out the truth but didn't feel the same way, it would kill him as effectively as if he was struck by a bullet.

Edie glared at him. "My family might not kill you but I will if you screw this up for me," she joked.

"Relax, I won't let you down," Jamie vowed. "So just like real UC work we keep the cover simple and as close to the truth as possible. At least we can use our real names, right?"

"Real names are fine. They are my family. They'd notice if I suddenly started calling myself Melanie."

Jamie thought for a moment, "We met work. We've been together for 3 years. We talk about stuff we have done together – drinks, dinners, movies, but we probably skip the bad stuff like your abduction and the line of duty shooting."

"Sounds like a plan. We should probably avoid telling them we're partners," Edie added.

"I'm not gonna lie about what I do," Jamie responded.

"Not asking you to. I just don't want somebody or something to get back to the house and have the bosses thinking we've been sneaking around," Edie reminded Jamie that there was more to this.

"Good point," he conceded. "Especially after Renzulli chewed me out this morning for that very thing."

"What!" Edie gasped. "You didn't tell me that. What'd he say?"

"Nothing," Jamie tried to deescalate. "He just saw me putting my stuff in your car and asked me if we were planning a romantic weekend. I explained that I was just the stand in because your real date got chicken pox."

Edie rolled her eyes and looked out the window. "I can't believe this. Today just keeps getting better and better." The irony didn't escape the blonde. If she was legitimately allowed to date her sexy partner she wouldn't have had to invent a fake boyfriend in the first place.

"Relax Janko. It's gonna be fine. I can do fake boyfriend. We've gone undercover as a couple before. We got this."

"That was for a few hours in a jewelry store, Reagan. This is a whole weekend and seriously, you don't know my family. An interrogation by them, let's just say I don't know any perps who would survive in the box with them," Edie countered. "We have to do this all weekend – two nights and three days."

At the mention of the word "nights" Jamie realized he had never asked certain pertinent questions. "Speaking of nights. Ugh . . . what are the sleeping arrangements? I mean I can sleep on the floor or get my own room or something." His mind was racing about thoughts of Edie and her friend Buzz sharing a room and sharing a bed. Even if they weren't officially dating, a romantic wedding, a little wine and friends with benefits was a real possibility. The thought upset Jamie more than he had a right to care. He'd have to take great pains over the course of the weekend not to get too into his own role and cross lines from which there would be no coming back.

Edie was suddenly concerned about Jamie's desire to put distance between them. He was such a Boy Scout; she had real doubts about his ability to lie for the whole weekend. "Relax, Reagan. I booked two rooms. They are adjoining so we can talk without roaming the halls."

At the idea of two rooms Jamie was simultaneously happy and sad. Before he had too much time to process his own reaction, he had to concentrate on following the GPS directions to the hotel. They rode the rest of the way in relative silence with Siri's voice the dominant noise inside the car. Both were lost in their own thoughts and consumed by their individual fears about how this weekend would play out.

Pulling up, the valets rushed to help the couple out of the car. They seemed as anxious to get their hands on Edie's car as Jamie had been. The bellmen took their clothes and ushered them into the lobby. Edie immediately froze upon entering the opulent boutique hotel. "God, here comes my Aunt Zelda, the bride's mother."

Hearing the distress in his partner's voice, Jamie stepped closer to her and dropped a protective arm around her. Leaning down he whispered, "You got this, Lambchop." It was a term of endearment Edie had used jokingly when they were looking at watches during their first plain clothes assignment in the jewelry store before that distraught jilted groom tried to return the engagement ring and the situation dissolved into a hostage negotiation. Over the years both partners adopted it to convey support to the other, without having everybody else knowing exactly what they were talking about. Most of the time they used it sarcastically, so they fooled themselves into thinking nobody else noticed the unresolved sexual tension constantly swirling around them. Jamie punctuated his calming strength with a kiss to Edie's temple before this hurricane of an Aunt reached them. He was just trying to get into character, he lied to himself. Unbeknownst to him, that chaste kiss had the opposite effect. His proximity and the feel of his lips on her skin made Edie realize that perhaps fessing up to the lie may have been the better option. She wasn't sure that she was going to be able to go back to being just friends with her sexy partner once this weekend was over. Wrapping her arm around Jamie's lower back, for now she decide to just enjoy the closeness.

A heavyset blonde woman waddled over to the pair. She had on expensive shoes and a nice dress but way too much make up. It reminded Jamie of something his mother used to say to Erin growing up when she was first starting to use make-up. 'You don't have to put it on with a trowel.'

Edie stepped out of Jamie's embrace. "Aunt Z," was all she managed to say before the older woman engulfed her petite niece, practically suffocating her.

"Edit. So nice to see you," Releasing her niece, Aunt Zelda turned her full attention to Jamie. "This must be your young man." She extended her hand in greeting. "I am Zelda Pinchenko, mother of the bride."

Jamie took the proffered hand. "It's an honor to meet you Mrs. Pinchenko."

"Call me Aunt Z. Everyone does," she instructed taking Jamie's arm and turning him toward the front desk. "Edit says you are quite close so we're practically family, at least we will be once you make an honest woman out of my niece."

Edie was mortified but Jamie took it in stride. "All in good time, Aunt Z. All in good time."

"So tell me dear, how did you and Edit meet?" Aunt Z inquired as she slipped her arms through Jamie's to allow him to escort her while they walked.

"We met at work," Jamie replied.

The older woman stopped walking and disentangled herself from Jamie to step back and glare at him. Her appraisal would have been withering to a lesser man. "Don't tell me you are one of those police officers."

Although annoyed that anyone would disparage his beloved NYPD Jamie didn't let it phase him. He knew Edie needed him to best her condescending Aunt. "Actually ma'am, I'm a lawyer."

Aunt Zelda wasn't quite appeased. "And I suppose you went to City College."

"No ma'am. I went to Harvard."

"Harvard law school?" Now it was the Aunt's turn to be surprised. "In Massachusetts?"

Jamie knew that got her. "The very same."

Zelda nodded approvingly.

Edie had reached the desk to begin the check in process. Her voice carried across the opulent marble lobby. "No. I reserved two rooms. Here's my confirmation." She dug a folded up piece of paper out of her purse.

In a clipped tone, the frazzled clerk replied, "The reservation was changed from two adjoining rooms to one king room."

"That's unacceptable," Edie countered as Jamie and her aunt joined her at the front desk. "I booked two rooms. I need two rooms."

Aunt Zelda placed her hand on Edie's arm. "Calm down little one. I changed it. I needed the rooms for your cousin Dimitri and his family. You and your . . . what is the phrase you young people use? - significant other . . .can share. I may be an old woman but I am not unwise to the ways of the world. You were only going to use one bed anyway. This way you don't have to pay for the extra room and Dimitri and his wife can have their privacy but know the kids are just next door."

Edie glared at her Aunt. This was getting worse and worse. She could not share a room with Jamie. Turning to the clerk she demanded, "Just give me another room. They don't have to be adjoining."

"I'm sorry, miss, but I can't do that," the clerk apologized. "With the wedding and our regular summer guests, the hotel is fully booked. I don't have another room to give you."

Before Edie could say anything else, Jamie stepped behind her to sign the check in sheet for the single room. "Your Aunt figured out our plan. Since she's onto us, we can just share a room." Not letting go of Edie, he turned to Zelda. "For the sake of propriety I thought it would be better if we had separate rooms. I wasn't sure how Edit's family would feel about an unmarried couple sharing. I have met her father and didn't want to do anything to make your family think ill of me."

As Jamie was smoothing things over, Edie took a moment to try to calm down. She focused on the idea that most hotels have two beds. This could still be OK.

"You met my brother?" Zelda questioned.

Jamie gently steered Edie toward the elevators. "Yes, last year when he was hospitalized. Edie took me over to meet him. She thought the hospital would be a better choice then . . . his other . . accommodations. Although I have been to visit him since."

Edie's head jerked in Jamie's direction at that revelation. She didn't know if Jamie was lying to her Aunt which didn't seem like his style especially about something that could so easily be verified. Yet she was unnerved to know that Jamie had gone to see her father in prison.

"It's good that you show respect for Edit's father and our family," Zelda approved. "Are you going to take his case?"

"It's not like that," Jamie replied hoping to end the conversation. Apparently the family didn't know that Mr. Janko's sentence had been reduced after he cooperated with authorities and almost gotten killed. He was going to put up for parole next Spring and Jamie had vowed to speak for him.

When the elevator opened, the bellman motioned the pair inside.

Not following them into the lift, Zelda reminded them of the scheduled events, "The rehearsal is outside in the garden at 6:30 p.m. sharp. You'd best hurry if you expect to be changed and down here on time."

When the elevator doors closed, Edie pounced, "You went to see my father?"

Jamie shrugged sheepishly. "He sent me a letter to the precinct and asked if I'd come talk to him. What was I supposed to do, say no?"

"Yes!" Edie insisted. "At least you should have told me. How long has this been going on?"

"Only once or twice," Jamie disclosed.

"I don't believe you, Reagan." Edie wanted to be mad at him. Jamie talking to her father seemed like a betrayal on one level but then again, how many guys would take the time to visit somebody in prison? "I don't know whether to kill you or kiss you."

"Do I get a vote?" he teased playfully as they walked off the elevator.

When the bellman opened the door to their room, Edie's fear came true. The room was dominated by a single four poster king sized bed. There were two chairs but no pullout couch. Her mind was racing. She got him into this, so she would just have to sleep on the floor. It's not like she could ask the hotel to bring up a cot. Her meddlesome aunt would undoubtedly find out and then start peppering her with questions about why she and Jamie weren't getting along. When she saw Jamie reaching into his pocket to tip the bellman, Edie was brought back to the present. She already had money for the bellman and brushed past Jamie to hand it to the hotel employee.

"Thank you," the bellman responded. "Just call the desk if you need anything else."

Jamie seemed out of sorts that she hadn't let him pay but Edie was not putting up with macho crap. "My weekend, my treat. I did get you into this."

Jamie knew better then to argue the point. He was a modern guy. If Edie wanted to pay, that was fine with him. He'd been to enough weddings to know there would be plenty of other opportunities for him to pick up a check throughout the weekend.

Opening her bag that the bellman had put on the luggage stand, Edie chuckled. "I can't believe you told my Aunt you went to Harvard. I thought you said you weren't going to lie."

"I did go to Harvard," he reminded her. Edie rolled her eyes. Jamie rarely mention his education to most people. He never lauded it over people's heads. Knowing she could see right through him, Jamie confessed. "You had said she was always on you about your choices and when I met her I could see why you were upset so I decided to shut her down."

"No I'm thrilled. I totally approve."

Edie continued to unpack. Jamie took a moment to look around. It was a well-appointed room with dark mahogany furniture in a Federalist style. The elephant in the room was the single king-sized bed which dominated the space. Being a gentleman, Jamie offered, "I can sleep on a chair or the floor or something." He was having a hard time envisioning how he was going to sleep in the chair.

"I got you into this. Plus I'm smaller then you. I'll take the chair. You sleep in the bed," Edie insisted.

"You know I can't let you do that," Jamie explained.

"You and your chivalry. I'm not some shrinking violet. I'll be fine," Edie assured him.

Jamie frowned and stared straight at her. "Not gonna happen. It's a big bed. We're both adults. We can share. You stay on your side and I'll stay on mine."

Edie seemed to be thinking about that option. "It's not like we have a lot of other options," she said resigning herself to her fate. In all honestly this was not how she ever pictured the first time she'd share a bed with Jamie. "Pick your side I gotta go change."

"I don't care. You pick," Jamie answered. "But I got dibs on the shower. You're the one who wouldn't let me take one back at the house."

"Fine, but hurry," Edie demanded.

Grabbing his shaving kit, Jamie disappeared into the bathroom. Eddie busied herself hanging up her dresses. She was pretty sure she'd need to steam the wrinkles out of her bridesmaid dress. She'd ask her cousin about that later tonight. Once she heard the water come on in the bathroom, Edie sank down to sit on the oversized bed. It was heavenly. . . a soft mattress with a luxurious duvet. This was going to be the toughest weekend of her life.

A few minutes later the water was turned off. She knew that was her cue to get her things together. She laid out her shoes and grabbed her unmentionables to hurry into the bathroom once Jamie emerged.

When he appeared, Edie's heart caught in her throat. Jamie stepped out of the steamy bathroom clad only in a white towel slung dangerously low on his hips. He was like sex on a stick. His defined pecks were pronounced and his nipples immediately puckered into hard nubs perfect for biting once they encountered the cool air conditioning of the room in contrast to the warm steam in the bathroom. His short hair was still wet. His tight six pack and the vee of his slim hips was highlighted by his only covering and his hand that was loosely holding the knot of the towel at his waist. Part of Edie was praying the towel would slip from his hips. As many times as she'd barged into the men's locker room and caught Jamie dressing, this was the least he'd ever been wearing and never before had she been sitting on a bed only a few feet away. Edie was trying not to stare but failing miserably. When Jamie caught her eye as she was openly ogling him and practically eye humping him, she turned away and blushed.

"Sorry," he stuttered, even though he was secretly flattered. "Living alone too long I guess. I forgot to bring a change of clothes in with me. Bathroom's all yours."

The power of speech seemed to failed Edie. "Yeah, um . . ah . . okay," she mumbled scurrying past him with her makeup bag, dress and underwear.

 _Well that was awkward_ , Jamie thought to himself. Part of him was pleased that Edie had been checking him out. He'd always thought she was a beautiful and desirable woman. He was never certain how she felt about him. Knowing that she'd liked what she'd seen made him happy. Maybe there was a chance for them after all. He planned to make the best use of this weekend pretending to be her boyfriend. Maybe if he did a good job acting the part, they'd both know if that had what it took to have a relationship for real. Now they only had to get around the regulations.

Jamie was sitting on the edge of the bed tying his shoe laces when Eddie emerged from the bathroom. Now it was Jamie's turn to stare. She had on a light pink lace slip dress with a halter top. Although the lace reached almost to her knees and was demure, the opaque sheath underneath the lace only hung a few inches below her crotch.

Barefoot, she padded over to the dresser and took off her trademark gold circle eternity necklace that Jamie was used to seeing sparkle at her throat. Jamie swallowed hard when he realized that the dress was backless, showing off the smooth alabaster skin of her lithe back. Edie picked up a rhinestone necklace and fumbled with the clasp. Stepping behind her with a brief pause to catch her eye in the mirror, Jamie took the ends of the necklace from her. "Here. Let me help."

Edie gathered her hair and lifted it from her neck so Jamie could fasten the necklace unencumbered.

He easily connected the two sides but had to lean in to do so. Edie shivered slightly when she felt his warm breath on her bare neck.

Letting her hair fall, she grasped the bureau for support as she stepped into her silver peep toe pumps. Stepping away from the furniture Edie did a little twirl, pirouetting carefully on her sky-high heels The Y shaped necklace that dangled between her breasts and drew the eye to Edie's impressive cleavage

"Damn," Jamie breathed in appreciation of the vision before him, not realizing he'd said that out loud.

"Was that a compliment, Reagan?"

"Definitely," Jamie assured her. "You look amazing. I'm going be fighting other guys off you all night."

When Jamie stood to put on his blue blazer that he would be wearing over his khaki trousers with the crisp white dress shirt, it registered that he was wearing a pink tie. "Did I tell you my dress was pink?" Edie asked.

Smoothing the neckwear in question in an unintentionally phallic manner, Jamie replied, "I don't think you did. It just seemed like a wedding color. Great minds think alike, I guess." Jamie had often coordinated his ties to Sydney's dress when they went out. Part of him missed that outward sign of being part of a couple. To him the fact that he'd guessed right was simply more evidence that he and Edie belonged together.

Hold out his arm for Edie, Jamie announced, "Come on, Date. We don't wanna keep Aunt Z waiting."

Rolling her eyes, Edie agreed, "Heaven forbid."


	3. Chapter 3

A few steps outside their room, Jamie reached down and took Edie's hand in his. Gripping her pashmina and small evening bag tighter to mask her surprise, she glanced at her partner with the obvious question written all over her beautiful face.

"Just getting in to character," Jamie assured her.

Edie merely quirked her eyebrow.

In response, Jamie raised their joined hands and brushed a kiss across her knuckles. "We're in love," he reminded her. Even to his own ears it felt so natural to say that. Although he hadn't quite admitted it to himself yet, part of the reason it felt so normal is that it was the absolute truth.

Edie continued to silently appraise her partner. She hadn't realized he was such a romantic. It felt so natural to hear him say they were in love but the rational part of her brain reasoned that he was a Harvard trained lawyer as well as an NYPD street trained negotiator. She'd heard him say exactly what the other person needed to hear on more than one occasion. As much as she wished it was true, Edie was cynical enough not to take Jamie's words at face value. He was merely playing the part she'd asked him to play. This was all an act and she had to take pains not to believe the lies they were spinning for her family's benefit. Monday they'd go back out on patrol and continue to be nothing more than work partners. In a few months she'd tell her family they broke up and this would all be a distant memory.

They made a striking couple as they strolled through the elegant hotel. It was a beautiful summer evening, not too hot. The setting sun had streaked the sky with hues of pink. A soft breeze carried the fragrant aroma of all the roses planted around the hotel. To any onlooker, they presented exactly as what they were pretending to be: a young couple in love.

Once they stepped onto the terrace where the wedding would take place, Edie was swarmed with family drawing her in for exuberant hugs. Jamie was pulled in for his fair share of social hugs and cheek kisses as he tried to remember the names of all the new people to whom he was being introduced.

Within minutes a woman with a clipboard and a headset was trying to bring order to the organized chaos. "Places. Places. Groom over here near Father Karakis," she directed pointing to an arched trellis where the Ukrainian Orthodox minister was standing.

Jamie took a seat in the back while the participants were instructed on where they would walk or stand during the ceremony the next day. He didn't even register the words when the lectors practiced reading their Bible verses and poems. Instead he followed Edie with his eyes grateful that his 'cover' gave him the excuse to unabashedly watch her every move. She was gorgeous, graceful and warm. Her smile lit up the entire terrace. She was easily the most beautiful woman in the room, certainly among the bridesmaids.

When the wedding planner was satisfied that everyone knew their rolls, she released the wedding party to more festive activities.

Edie made a bee line for Jamie. "Sorry about that."

Jamie shook his head. "It's a rehearsal dinner. You had to rehearse. I get the drill." Knowing there were many of her family members within earshot, Jamie added honestly, "You were the prettiest bridesmaid up there."

Edie smiled, but it was forced. Her lips were pressed tightly together as if she was silently warning Jamie not to overdo things.

He took her warning to heart but defended his action. "It's true!" Leaning closer he whispered "Even if I wouldn't have been allowed to say it, otherwise." To cover the conversation and his proximity, he pecked her cheek with a soft brush of his lips. Both felt the tingle from that fleeting contact ripple through their bodies.

Edie again met Jamie's eyes and conveyed that he was overdoing his part and making her uncomfortable. Yes, she'd wanted an attentive, serious boyfriend for this wedding but she didn't want it to come across as contrived While her family was generally demonstrative, too much PDA was frowned upon. Plus Jamie's nearness was getting to her. His aftershave alone had her pheromones on overdrive. She had to play things cool. "I'm hungry," she announced changing the subject.

"Of course you are, darling," Jamie chuckled. When Edie turned to head toward one of the servers bearing a tray of passed hors d'oevures Jamie placed his hand at the small of her back and dutifully followed her. It wasn't his fault if his eyes lingered on the expanse of creamy skin on display ahead of him.

While Edie nibbled, Jamie spotted the makeshift bar that had been opened in the far corner. Working his way over, he ordered a vodka and tonic with lime for Edie and snagged a beer for himself. When he tried to pay he was informed that it was an open bar so he put a $10 bill into the tip jar and was rewarded with an enthusiastic "thank you sir!" from the college kid working the party.

Returning to his pretend girlfriend, Jamie found Edie standing at a hi-top cocktail table talking to another woman who had been a bridesmaid. When he placed her drink in front of her, she slid a plate of food toward him piled with all his favorites. "Jamie this is my cousin, Olga. Olga this is my par. . Jamie." The two shook hands.

"I'm glad I finally get to meet Edie's mystery man," Olga greeted him. Turning to Edie she whispered loud enough for Jamie to overhear, "I can see why you have been keeping him under wraps. He's gorgeous!"

Not knowing if he was supposed to react to that pronouncement, Jamie concentrated on finding the plate of appetizers Edie had gathered for him fascinating.

Various people came over to talk to Edie in an effort to get to know Jamie who was astute enough to realize they were trying to gage his level of commitment to Edie and get a sense of him. He told them all the same things: he was the youngest son, went into the family business, met Edie through work and loved the fact that she had the metabolism of a linebacker. Embellishing a bit, Jamie even described the wedding celebration between Balthazar and Katia that they had attended at Edie's insistence. He left out the parts where he and Edie had to repeatedly intervene with Katia's father who had hidden her papers in an attempt to stop the wedding or that the plain girl had married her gay friend to enable him to stay in the country and not be stoned to death for his lifestyle upon returning home.

By the time everyone was ushered into the other room for dinner, Edie and Jamie had both relaxed and fallen back into their easy friendship. They simply acted normally and Edie's family accepted that they were a couple deeply in love.

They were seated at a table with some cousins as well as Edie's mother who positioned herself on Jamie's other side. After he pulled out Edie's chair for her Jamie sat down and stretched his arm across the back of Edie's chair before turning to face his inquisitor.

"How long did you say you have been dating my daughter?" Mrs. Janko asked.

"We've been together about three years," Jamie answered easily. Sticking to the truth was the best way to get through this situation. He never actually said they were dating, so technically he didn't lie to Edie's mom.

"My sister-in-law said you're a lawyer," Edie's mother continued to probe.

"Yes ma'am, I am. Harvard, Class of 2010."

Mrs. Janko nodded in approval of Jamie's prestigious education. "Do you work at a firm in the City?"

"I worked for Pinkerton, Mills and Ballentine for a while and now I have an affiliation with McPherson, Singh and Boyle," Jamie fudged the truth by mentioning the firm where he clerked before joining the Force. He did have an affiliation with the prominent criminal defense firm because it was his ex-brother-in-law's firm. His relationship with Jack was an affiliation of sorts, so he didn't exactly lie.

"And what are your intentions toward my daughter, counselor?"

"Mom!" Edie squawked, trying to get Jamie off the hook.

He didn't need saving and smoothly responded, "I'm her's for as long as she'll have me." He punctuated his words by moving his arm from the back of Edie's chair to her shoulders and snuggling her into his side while smiling warmly at her. Knowing her mother was watching, Edie gazed lovingly into Jamie's eyes. One of her favorite things about her partner had always been his diplomacy. No matter the situation, Jamie always seemed to know just what to say.

Their body language more than the words convinced Edie's mom for the moment. She turned her attention to a relative across the table to ask about another Aunt back in the old country.

"I'm sorry about that," Edie whispered to Jamie.

He simply shrugged but loosened his grip to allow Edie to sit up straight again, without leaning into him. "I expected as much. Comes with the territory."

"What are you gonna do if she checks your employment history?" Edie teased.

"You didn't tell me we had to back stop our identities. But everything I said was true. I worked at Pinkerton Millstone in law school and Jack's firm is small enough that he'll cover for me if she calls. Do really think she'll check? Should I text him?" Jamie was a bit worried and wanted to make sure their bases were covered.

"I was kidding," Edie assured him.

"Hey, better safe than sorry," Jamie protested.

"Boy scout," he taunted back.

Jamie smiled wickedly. "Yeah, but I'm your Boy Scout."

Seeing her mother watching their conversation Edie brushed her lips on Jamie's cheek. "Yes, you are." Since they arrived, this was the first time Edie had initiated any contact between them. She hoped her mother was paying more attention to their actions and hadn't heard their whispered words.

Helga Janko smiled beneficently at her daughter, happy that she'd finally found someone. Unfortunately for Edie, her mother wasn't content to just watch the romance being performed before her eyes. She had to press. "So, Jamie. When you marry my daughter you will get her pregnant right away and away from that crazy job. You give her lots of babies to fill her days. No more of this crazy cop stuff."

"It's not 'crazy cop stuff'!" Edie exploded. "I am a highly trained and decorated officer."

"Mrs. Janko, I'm sure you worry. I do too. Being a police officer is dangerous work but your daughter is very good at her job. Like she said, she's highly trained and she's got 35,000 other officers backing her up," Jamie tried to make peace between mother and daughter.

The older woman scowled in derision. "She needs babies to stop this foolishness."

"Lots of woman work after they have kids," Jamie offered. "My sister and my sister-in-law both went back to work."

"Are they cops?" Mrs. Janko asked.

"No," Jamie admitted.

Helga wore a smug expression as if to declare herself the victor in this debate.

Jamie and Edie were spared further grilling with the father of the bride stood up to make a toast. "Family, friends. Thank you all for being here as we celebrate the marriage of my beautiful little girl, Lukina. Tomorrow I will be happy to call Mychajlo my son. Thank you all for honoring us with your presence. Nostrovia!" Various guests clinked glasses and repeated "Nostrovia!" before drinking the toast to everyone's good health. Someone tapped some silverware onto a dish which caused others to follow suit creating a cacophony throughout the room. As dictated by custom, the happy couple leaned in to kiss one another. Edie's uncle remained on his feet. When the hubbub died down he continued. "And on behalf of own beautiful wife, Zelda, and her sister, Helga, and in the absence of my brother-in-law Armin, I feel it is my duty to formally welcome another new-comer into our midst. We are also so happy that our beloved Edit is finally starting to settle down and give up this foolishness. We are honored to have you with us . . . Yah-me," Uncle Vladamir struggled to pronounce Jamie's foreign sounding name. "And hopefully someday soon we will all be gathered together for your wedding."

Edie was furious but there was nothing she could do except smile graciously. Under the table she was digging her fingers into Jamie's thigh to keep from having an outburst. Jamie was sure that he was going to have black and blue marks on his leg by morning. When the clinking and tapping started up, this time for them, there was only one thing for them to do. Jamie turned to Edie and kissed her sweetly on the lips. Although it was a chaste closed mouth kiss, each of them felt a certain electricity resonate throughout their entire bodies.

After dessert the party spilled over into the hotel bar. It was still relatively early when the Janko family arrived _en masse_. The DJ had just begun to warm up. After Jamie and Edie ordered their drinks, the first notes of Coldplay's _A Sky Full of Stars_ wafted into the room. Edie tugged a reluctant Jamie onto the dance floor.

He tried to beg off. "I have a medical condition: two left feet."

Edie giggled at her partner's self-deprecation but kept a tight grip on him. "All you have to do is hold me and sway," she directed sliding both of her hands up the lapels of Jamie's blazer before locking them behind his head and sensuously moving her body in such a way that he was compelled to follow. At first he rested his hands on her hips at her waist but that position was too formal and stiff for how provocatively Edie was writhing in his arms. He brought her in closer which allowed him to discretely caress the bare skin of her lower back.

Edie pressed her cheek against Jamie's and simply allowed the music to guide her body. This may only be pretend but in her mind it felt as though her heart was beating in time with Jamie's. She wanted to relish this moment as long as she could.

Although she preferred to keep her eyes closed so she could concentrate on the feel of Jamie so close to her – his warmth, his breath, that clean crisp manly smell that was uniquely him and brought her a profound sense of comfort – when she opened her eyes she could see a number of her female family members smiling at her with approval. Her plan was working, maybe too well, because they all saw a couple in love. Edie knew she'd been falling long and hard for her dashing partner but she also knew despite the longings in her heart and loins, for him this was simply an undercover assignment. Come Monday it would be back to platonic partners as usual, which made Edie even more determined to get the most out of this once in a life time experience. For all Edie knew, the next time she danced with Jamie at a wedding could very well be, Jamie's wedding to another woman. Edie wouldn't go there now. She preferred to think about how perfect this moment felt, even if it wasn't real.

When the slow song ended, Jamie reluctantly released his dance partner. The music was heating up to a fast beat that was more than he could deal with. He headed back to the bar for his previously abandoned beer.

Edie needed to burn off some nervous energy. "Dance with me," she pleaded. They had been so in sync while slow dancing Edie wanted to see Jamie's moves at a faster pace. If certain kinds of dancing could be considered public sex with clothes on, she was anxious to see what Jamie could do.

"Not really my thing," Jamie demurred. "But you go. Dance with your cousins."

Leaving Jamie at the bar, assuming he'd be safe because most of the remaining revelers were her contemporaries who didn't have an agenda, Edie headed to the dance floor to cut loose. The older aunts and uncles had retired for the evening or taken nightcaps to quitter parts of the hotel.

Jamie couldn't take his eyes off his beautiful partner as she enthusiastically danced with her cousins. Here in the bosom of her family, mood elevated by a few cocktails, Edie went to town. She was gyrating her hips and waving her arms to the beat of the music. Although he was enjoying the show more than a platonic work partner should, part of him feared she was in danger of having a wardrobe malfunction. He'd never paid much attention to women's fashion but he couldn't help but wonder how Edie's barely there dress was managing to contain her heaving breasts. Not that he'd mind getting to see them, he just didn't want that big reveal to occur in public, and especially not surrounded by her relatives. The direction his brain was taking was starting to make Jamie's pants a bit uncomfortable. Turning back toward the bar, he drank down the last swallow of his longneck beer before ordering another one. Inside his head Jamie kept reminding himself that this wasn't real and he was playing a part to help out his partner, nothing more. He sighed audibly. This was going to be a long weekend.

Noticing his plight, the bartender offered sympathy when he set Jamie's cold beer down. "Lotta pretty ladies here. I'm sure a guy like you will have his pick tomorrow at the wedding."

Jamie offered him a tight lipped smile. The guy was just trying to help. "I only have eyes for one and she's off limits."

The bartender shook his head. "Weddings have a way of bringing out the romantic in everyone. You never know."

Before Jamie could correct the man Edie appeared at his side out of breathe and thirsty from dancing. "Can I have a glass of water, please?" she asked the bartender who was quick to accommodate her request.

When the bartender set down her water, Edie grabbed it and drank down half the glass. "I could use some air," she announced, gathering up her evening bag and wrap.

"OK," Jamie agreed following her outside. The terrace where the wedding would be held the next day was closed as workers set up the chairs for the spectators. Instead the pair found themselves alone on the dimly lit promenade adjacent to the Navesink River. It was a mild night, not quite balmy but the sweltering heat and humidity that often plagued the Jersey shore in summer wasn't far off. For Edie the temperature was heavenly. She had really worked up a sweat on the dance floor, so much so that she felt as if she'd sweated the night's earlier alcohol completely out of her system.

The pair strolled along aimlessly outside of the hotel, side by side but not touching. Jamie had his hands shoved in his pants pockets. Edie punched Jamie softly in the arm in a brotherly way. Playground touching had routinely been part of the pair's interaction. Neither recognized it as the socially permissible way for them to touch without violating the regulations which prohibited more intimate physical contact. "Ya know. . . um thanks. I know my family was . . . you know . . . kind of a pain but ah. . . . I ah . . . really appreciated you steppin' up . . . 'n . . ah taking one for the team."

"I got your back. You know that," Jamie assured her. .

Edie smiled banally. "Yeah, well, this . . ." she waved back toward the hotel, even though they were technically still on the property, they'd managed to walk a ways away. There was a rock wall serving as a demarcation between the hotel property and the high tide line of the River; the wall adjacent to the cement pathway on which they were walking also served as a handy place to sit for those who chose to forgo the classic wrought iron benches along the way. "This . . was above and beyond."

Jamie rolled his eyes. "Oh yeah. I deserve combat pay. What with the delicious food, the free drinks, the moonlight and the company. Hazardous duty for sure."

Edie silently acknowledged his sarcasm for what it was but reminded him it couldn't have been easy. "Sure. All those questions about your 'intentions' and my uncle's toast. Par for the course."

"It wasn't that bad," Jamie demurred. "They're just looking out for you. Remember, to them I really am the secret boyfriend you have kept hidden all this time. They're right to be suspicious."

As the couple neared the hotel again, Edie cringed.

"What's a matter?" Jamie asked suddenly on alert.

"My Aunt Z," Edie explained. "She's coming this way."

Jamie frantically looked around for a way out. Short of going over the knee wall into the water, or breaking into a sprint there was no escape.

Edie was making the same assessment and came to the same conclusion. Turning to face Jamie she beseeched "Forgive me," before leaning over to initiate a kiss as cover.

Although surprised by her chosen diversion, Jamie was delighted by this turn of events and returned her kiss fervently. The moment their tongues met and began a dance as old as time, all thoughts of Aunt Z and the fake nature of this joining fled both of their minds. Unbeknownst to the other, the entire world had shrunk to the two of them. They each reveled in the sounds, taste and feel of the other. Somehow Jamie had managed to spin them around so that he was resting against the wall and Edie was ensconced between his legs. One hand was locked around her waist while the other was splayed against her back. Realizing the back of her dress was open, he took full opportunity to caress the expanse of soft skin exposed to him, causing them both to moan at the delicious sensations they were experiencing. Both of Edie's arms were wrapped around Jamie's neck and one hand toyed with the short hair at the top of his collar. They continued making out for several minutes, long after Aunt Z had spotted them and headed back inside, unwilling to disturb the young lovers.

Slowly the reality of the situation dawned on Edie. She was aware that she was taking advantage of the situation to fulfill a fantasy: making out with her sexy partner in the moonlight. Reluctantly she gradually ended the kiss. "Do you think she's gone?" the blonde whispered against Jamie's mouth.

"Who?"

Edie wasn't thinking much more clearly then Jamie so she didn't recognize his question as evidence that he wanted her and that he had enjoyed this diversion as much as she had. Instead Edie answered his question. "My Aunt Z."

Without releasing Edie from his embrace but snapped back to reality by the knowledge that the kissing had merely been a cover as much as he longed for it to be genuine and mutual, Jamie pulled Edie closer for a full-on hug so that he could discreetly look over her shoulder. "No, the coast is clear." As he spoke, Jamie nuzzled Edie's neck. Her perfume had been driving him mad all night.

Once he said those words, Edie took a step back, breaking the spell and began apologizing. "Sorry about that but it was all I could come up with out here." She was doing everything she could think of short of turning tail and running to put literal and figurative distance between them while she willed her heart to calm down and waited for her breathing to return to normal. Truth be told she was still a bit dizzy from the intensity of the kisses. Yet, she continued to assume that Jamie was still merely play acting.

Jamie took a deep breath to collect himself and fight off the urge to gather Edie back into his arms to resume what they had started. "No problem." He turned his head and pretended to be studying the moonlight play across the moving water behind him.

Edie was fidgeting, just out of arm's reach. "Yeah well. It's . . . ah getting late."

Jamie simply nodded and mumbled "Mmm hmmm," not trusting his own voice. If he spoke he was afraid he'd blurt out something about loving Edie forever.

"Tomorrow is going to be a long day. Maybe I ought to . . .ah . . . um go up and get some sleep. Don't want to have bags under my eyes for all the pictures. You should go back to the bar and enjoy yourself," she offered.

Jamie certainly didn't want to leave Edie but he had to point out that her plan was tactically unsound. "Yeah," he said meaning the opposite. "If I go back without you, your family is all going to ask me if we had a fight."

It was Edie's turn to exhale sharply in frustration. "You're probably right."

Pushing himself off the wall, Jamie stood and looked to Edie for guidance. The mask was back in place. None of this was real. He was just playing a part so Edie's family would leave her alone. He didn't bother to think about what would happen after this wedding. He couldn't go on pretending to be her boyfriend indefinitely. There would inevitably be more family gatherings and it would be odd if such an important person in her life wasn't there.

Truth be told, they were both tired. It was going on midnight and they'd both been up since 5:30 a.m. for the start of their day shift at 7:00 a.m. They silently walked side by side through the fancy hotel until they got to their room. Using her key card, Edie opened the door and walked in ahead of Jamie. "You want the bathroom first, again?"

"No, that's OK. Women have more . . . stuff to do to get ready. I can get changed out here," Jamie answered.

Edie toed off her shoes, happy to be out of them. She gathered some items from her overnight bag and disappeared into the bathroom.

Jamie sat on the plush four poster bed to untie his shoes before kicking them off. He had to get a grip on himself and fast. He was still trying to wrap his mind around what happened outside. They'd been flirting all night but what had started out as a ruse to get Edie's family off her back about being single was becoming more real for him with each passing second. She was a beautiful woman, even more so when she let her hair down and wore civilian clothes. Tonight in that barely there wisp of a lace dress she was a full on knock out. Hell, Jamie thought she was beautiful with no make-up, hair in a bun in her shapeless police uniform. It was more than just her physical beauty. Eddie was the whole package. All dressed up with full make-up she was the stuff (wet) dreams were made of. But to her he was just her work partner, one of thousands of cops, nothing more.

Although rationally Jamie knew Edie had only kissed him to avoid her Aunt, they had been out there for a while. It felt amazing to have her in his arms. Edie's skin was so soft. The breathy noises she had made while he was kissing her drive him wild. He knew that impromptu make out session lasted far longer than necessary and he hoped that had to mean something more than Edie'd had too much to drink. Jamie sighed. This was an impossible situation because even if Edie felt the same way about him, they

Grabbing a pair of heather grey sweat shorts out of his bag, Jamie quickly stripped down to put them on before Edie returned from the bathroom. She seemed to be taking an extraordinarily long time in there. Jamie never understood women's grooming rituals. Erin took almost as long to get ready growing up as he, Danny and Joe did combined. When he lived with Sydney he couldn't identify half the products in his own bathroom.

When Edie finally emerged from the bathroom clad in an oversized NYPD t-shirt Jamie's heart almost stopped. The shirt was so long he wasn't sure if she had anything on underneath. He looked away and started reciting the Law Against Perpetuities, an arcane legal doctrine, in his head in an effort to will his body not to react to the idea that Edie might be without panties and what that could mean for the rest of their night.

The first thing Edie noticed was that Jamie was only wearing a pair of shorts. He had no shirt and his bare legs were stretched out in front of him, crossed at the ankles. Edie rarely got a good look at Jamie's legs because they didn't often run together but his calves and thighs were just as toned as his upper body. It took every ounce of self-control she had to not fling herself on top of Jamie, regulations be damned.

Under most circumstances, Edie would have been thrilled for any glimpse of Jamie's delectable chest and abs but the idea of sleeping in the same bed with him while he wore next to nothing was unnerving. She knew she needed to keep her hands to herself because while Jamie had been enough of a gentleman to accept her actions outside, she knew she was the one who prolonged that kiss because she feared it might be the only chance she ever had to be the girl in his arms in the moonlight and she didn't want to squander that chance. In the privacy of this room, free from the prying eyes of her family for whom they were performing this little drama, it was business as usual. They were work partners, not lover.

Edie also noticed that Jamie's breathing had changed but she had no idea why. This oversized t-shirt was the most shapeless and non-sexy thing she had to put on. It never dawned on her that it would cause Jamie to speculate about what she was – or wasn't - wearing underneath it. She also hadn't taken the air conditioning into account. Her nipples were rock hard from the cool air and clearly outlined by the thin cotton of her shirt, emphasizing the bounce of each breast when she walked.

"You OK over there?" she asked, walking past the bed toward her belongings.

"Fine," he answered too abruptly at an octave too high for him to be telling the truth. Too engrossed in worrying about she was going to make it through the entire night sharing a bed with her sexy mostly naked partner. She couldn't think of a polite way to ask him to at least put his undershirt back on. Somehow, "Could you please at least put a shirt on you so that I can stop wondering what it would be like to lick the ridges of every muscle in your stomach and suckle at your nipples?" didn't seem like the kind of thing she could simply blurt out.

Choosing to try to ignore him, Edie busied herself hanging up the lace dress. "if you wanna brush your teeth or anything ..." she offered without turning around to face him.

"Good idea," Jamie agreed happy for a reason to scramble out of the room before Edie noticed that his lower half had taken a particular interest in her entrance.

Safe inside the bathroom, Jamie grabbed the counter for support as he let out a deep breath. What had he gotten himself into? He splashed some cold water on his face and reminded himself that this was just pretend. That kiss outside had been a ruse. It was a way to hide from Aunt Z, not a declaration of Edie's feelings, as much as he wished it was.

Pulling himself together walked back into the room to find that Edie had turned off all the lights but left the television on. She was curled up facing the window at the far edge of the large bed. She looked so small. Sliding under the covers on his side he stared at the TV for a few minutes before clicking it off. Following Edie's lead, he moved as close to his edge of the bed and away from her as the space would allow. "'Night, Edie," he whispered into the darkness.

Beside him Edie shifted slightly, tugging the covers more tightly around herself.

Flipping over, Jamie pulled the covers back on his side of the large bed. "You're not a cover hog are you?" he teased.

Edie didn't turn to face him. She knew if she looked into his eyes while lying inches away from him, her ever weakening self-control would slip. Nevertheless, she lessened her grip. "Just go to sleep Reagan."

Resuming his original position, Jamie turned away from Janko to face the wall of the hotel room. Even in the same bed, they lay alone in the darkness wishing the other one knew just how much more they wanted.

 _ **Author's Note:**_ The rating on this story may change. If you come back for it but can't find it, check under M or click the hypertext link that is my name for a complete list of my works. I don't promise the rating will change. While I know where this story is going, Jamie  & Edie haven't quite shared with me the path they intend to take.


	4. Chapter 4

**_A/N_** I am humbled  & awed by the number of people who have asked me to continue this story. This is as far as I have gotten. It's short. Don't get your hopes up for more any time soon but know it's still in my system.

BB *~* BB*~* BB

The shrill ring roused Edie out of a deep, luxurious sleep. If she'd taken a moment to reflect, she would have had to acknowledge that she hadn't slept so well in a long time, longer than she could remember. Although she didn't have it as bad as many veteran cops, at night her mind was often filled with the worst images: a dead body she'd seen that day; a replay of her fatal shooting or Jamie's, with different and tragic endings to both; or that ever-present nightmare that something she longed for very badly that was just out of reach. That last nightmare was never clear about what she wanted or why she couldn't have it. Mostly she just knew it was frustrating.

This morning she knew she was warm and safe, but that seemed odd. She wasn't in her room. For a brief second, she had forgotten that she was in a hotel room in New Jersey for her cousin's wedding. The annoying noise was the hotel phone insisting that she pay attention to it.

As Edie reached for the phone she became aware that her movements were restricted. A protective arm was draped across her middle. She experienced a split second of panic before she remembered that she and Jamie has agreed to share this king-sized bed last night. They must have drifted together during the night because he was curled protectively around her in the middle of the gigantic bed, even though they had each been clinging to their own sides as they fell asleep. That thought brought a sweet smile to the blonde's face. Even subconsciously, they reached toward each other. She stretched to grab the phone before it woke her bed partner. The movement pressed Edie's bottom back into Jamie's groin. Realizing he was aroused, Edie stiffened involuntarily. Her reaction served to do the very thing she was trying to avoid, it stirred her companion who grumbled, trying to keep her pressed into his embrace.

Jamie had been having the best dream. He was snuggled up with a beautiful woman although his subconscious mind wasn't supplying her identity. He was warm and happy. That contentment was short-lived. Movement or rather the lack of, like something just froze, jarred him awake. Upon coming to, he realized that he was wrapped around his partner! He knew he'd fallen asleep hugging the edge on his side of the big bed, putting as much physical distance between them as he could manage while they were in the same space and mentally kicking himself for this cockamamie idea. Although he'd thought about sharing a bed with Edie more times then was probably heathy for someone who vowed to keep their partnership platonic, he never imagined that the first time they slept together, it would be just to sleep. But sleep had been the last thing on his mind. He kept replaying that kiss outside in the moonlight. It may have started as a cover to convince Aunt Z to leave them alone, but it hadn't seemed like pretend to him. Edie felt so right in his arms, molded perfectly to every plane of his body. Her soft lips tasted so sweet when she willingly opened up to him. Drifting off to sleep, there was tension in every muscle in his body while he tried to keep perfectly still, knowing he couldn't act on those desires. She didn't feel the same way. He was here to play a part – fake BF – no matter how real he wanted it to be.

Sometime during the night, they must have both drifted toward the center and connected instinctively. Worse than simply finding himself intertwined with the beautiful blonde, he was hard. Morning wood was a thing, always had been for him, but the fact that Edie's lush bottom was pressed so solidly against his arousal there was no way she failed to notice. He felt like such a pervert and jerked his hips back. While Edie was mumbling a greeting into the phone, Jamie hurriedly scooted to his side of the bed, mentally trying to get his uncooperative and traitorous body under control.

Jamie was trying to breathe, hoping the world would swallow him whole. He didn't realize that Edie had ended her conversation, hung up the phone and rolled to face him. The last thing he wanted was for her to come closer.

"Mornin'," she opened sweetly. Her hair was tousled and her voice was still a bit rough from sleep. It was everything he'd ever imagined waking up with Janko would be except he wasn't allowed to roll her pliant body underneath his and claim her in the light of day.

"I ah . . ." Jamie didn't know what to say. What would be the most polite way to phrase 'sorry I was groping you and practically humping you in your sleep'? Instead he jumped out of bed grabbing the pillow and holding it in front of himself. It was ridiculous really. Edie popped in on him in the locker room all the time when he was dressing. She'd seem him in just his boxers. Yesterday he came strutting into this very room in only a towel. His body's positive reaction to her proximity had never been quite so apparent. Still, he had never had so little on when his physical reaction to her presence was so blatantly obvious.

Knowing her Boy Scout as well as she did, Edie knew Jamie was mortified about his arousal but she was secretly flattered. Maybe there was some hope that they could make a go of it. This morning was not the time for that long overdue discussion. She had sleep late. That had been her aunt on the phone chastising her for not being in the bride's suite to get ready with the other bridesmaids. She knew she had to get going but man did she want to stay. A blushing bare-chested Jamie, holding a pillow in front of his erection seemed such much more appealing then getting her hair and make up done in the bridal suite.

Jamie looked like a deer in headlights. He could barely move another centimeter away from her without walking into the hallway. Edie took pity on him. "I'm late," she offered, throwing the covers off on her side and climbing out of bed. "I was supposed to be at the bride's suite 15 minutes ago to start getting ready."

Jamie relaxed a little but didn't budge. "You'd . . . ah . . . better . . .um go then." He was still mostly turned away from her but looked over his shoulder at her. "What time is it?"

"Ten-fifteen," Edie answered as she started looking for something to wear. Jamie almost choked on his own tongue when Edie bent at the waist allowing the t-shirt to ride up and reveal her panties while she rummaged around her open suitcase at the foot of the bed. Practically giving himself whiplash as he jerked to look away, Jamie stared at the wall. Settling on a pair of sweatpants that said 'bridesmaid' across the butt, Edie tugged them on before disappearing into the bathroom.

Jamie continued to think of things that would mask his obvious attraction to his beautiful partner: the names of the sitting Supreme Court Justices; the rule against perpetuities; the Ten Commandments, especially Thou Shalt Not Covet Thy Neighbor's Wife. He really didn't want to ruin this before it got started because Edie thought he was some kind of horn dog who only wanted one thing. This was a nightmare. He was embarrassed but conflicted. He wanted Edie to stay so they could talk. He wanted her out of here as fast as possible but he wondered why she was moving so fast. He was actually worried that she was in a rush to get away from him. He sat down on the edge of the bed, on his side, facing the wall, with the pillow strategically over his lap willing his erection to go down. The sight of her pink lace panties filled his mind and prevented his body from deflating. He tilted his head back and let out a deep breath of frustration through his mouth.

Jamie heard the telltale signs of Edie brushing her teeth in the bathroom. The next noise was a flush, then Edie came out twisting her hair through one of those black ponytail elastics. "I gotta head up to the bridal suite to get ready. The wedding is at one on the terrace. You remember how to get there from last night?"

Nodding mutely, Jamie didn't understand how Edie could be so blasé. She was her usual gregarious self, babbling away as if this was any other morning in the RMP, not the morning they woke up snuggled together with him practically assaulting her. Even if he could speak, Jamie didn't know what to say so he just nodded.

Jamie watched as Edie stuffed what he imagined were a bra and panties into a smaller bag. Grabbing her bridesmaid dress, shoes and make-up bag she headed for the door. "I'll see you later. I'm sure you can find something to do while I'm gone." Jamie couldn't be sure, but it seemed like Edie had glanced at the pillow in his lap when she said that. It was as though she was implying that he was gonna rub one out as soon as she closed the door behind her. Even the idea that Edie looked his way, made Jamie's groin stir under that pillow.

"One o'clock, terrace. Got it," he promised.

"See ya then, Lambchop," Edie teased as she breezed out the door.

When the lock clicked behind her, Jamie fell backwards on the bed. The pillow remained over his groin. He ran his hand through his hair trying to ground himself and exhaled deeply. When he breathed in again, the scent that assailed his nose was all her. Horizontally across the bed, his head was on 'her side' and it smelled like her which caused more blood to rush to his already engorged member. Almost involuntarily, as if they had a mind of their own, Jamie's hands pushed off his sweat shorts. His hard on sprung free and into his willing hands. Precum was already leaking out of the slit. He used it as lube until he found his rhythm. This certainly wasn't the first time he had woken up lusting after his beautiful partner, but it was the first time he found himself in a bed she just vacated. He came hard and fast, whispering her name into the empty room. Lying there waiting for his breathing and heart rate to return to normal, Jamie wiped his sticky hand on the sheets. Getting through the rest of this wedding was going to take all of his self-control. He wasn't sure he had it in him.


End file.
